Chhattisgarh court summons union minister in defamation suit

Raipur, April 6 (IANS) A Chhattisgarh court Monday issued summons in a defamation suit against union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning V. Narayanasamy for allegedly accusing a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister of corruption. A case has been registered against Narayanasamy under section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

The minister has been asked to appear in person or through a lawyer by June 25 to reply to the charges in the court, Ramakant Mishra, counsel of former BJP minister Ajay Chandrakar, told reporters. Chandrakar was present.

The BJP leader said he was “forced to file a case against the union minister as he accused me in August last year at a press conference of Rs.1,000 crore corruption when I was minister of panchayat and rural development in the BJP government.”

Chandrakar said he moved court as the allegation had “severely damaged” his image as a politician and “also caused me huge mental tension which was one of the reasons I lost the assembly polls”.

The union minister, who was in Raipur Monday for the Congress’ poll campaign, told reporters: “I will face the charges boldly in court.”